On Thursday, August 12, US Embassy Kabul urged U.S, citizens in in the country to ” to leave Afghanistan immediately using available commercial flight options.” On August 13: @StateDept Spox on Afghanistan: “This is not a full evacuation. This is not — .” By Saturday, August 14, the Embassy announced that it “has received reports that international commercial flights are still operating from Kabul, but seats may not be available. The U.S. Embassy is exploring options for U.S. citizens who want to depart and who have not been able to find a seat on commercial flights.”

On Sunday, Embassy Kabul issued an August 15  Security Alert saying in part: “The security situation in Kabul is changing quickly including at the airport. There are reports of the airport taking fire and we are instructing U.S. citizens to shelter in place. The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan has suspended consular operations effective immediately. Do not come to the Embassy or airport at this time.”

A revised Security Alert with no time stamp, only dated August 15 now says “The security situation in Kabul is changing quickly including at the airport.  There are reports of the airport taking fire; therefore we are instructing U.S. citizens to shelter in place.

But by Saturday evening, there were already reports that the evacuation of US diplomats from Embassy Kabul was underway. Early on Sunday morning, media reports that Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has left the country reportedly for Tajiskistan with a third unnamed country as destination. According to reports, Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar will reportedly lead Afghanistan’s interim government.

CDA Ross Wilson has reportedly left the US Embassy Kabul and is now “stationed at Kabul airport.”

Afghanistan’s government collapsed on Sunday after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and the Taliban entered the capital, Kabul, effectively sealing the insurgents’ takeover. https://t.co/GXGQ1GwNza pic.twitter.com/0gYL8LonW6

— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 15, 2021

U.S. Charge ’d'affaires Ross Wilson now stationed at Kabul airport – U.S. official

— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) August 15, 2021

US helicopters seen this morning at US embassy Kabul. It seems the evacuation is underway. Photo by @AP pic.twitter.com/YxMQQeRF29

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) August 15, 2021

And so it goes. The end. pic.twitter.com/PaoTLei8S9

— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) August 15, 2021

The evacuation of US diplomats from the US embassy to the Kabul airport foe their flights back to the US is underway, per two sources. Helicopters are now continuing to shuttle personnel from the embassy to the airport. Flights back to the US have started.

— Kylie Atwood (@kylieatwood) August 15, 2021

A Trump peace deal that allowed Taliban to rebuild. A feckless Kabul government riddled with corruption and infighting. An end to US airstrikes for an Afghan army that relied on American support. ⁦@yarotrof⁩ explains the colossal collapse https://t.co/wKWsXvjDs7

— Dion Nissenbaum (@DionNissenbaum) August 14, 2021

“U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and the Taliban’s chief negotiator and one of its founders, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, signed the agreement in Doha after more than a year of on-off formal talks.” Pompeo attended but did not sign, the report said. https://t.co/sU3pGBhx7e

— Laura Rozen (@lrozen) August 13, 2021

Jon Lee Anderson discusses his time spent in Afghanistan, his run-in with the Taliban, and the military group’s resurgence following the withdrawal of U.S. troops. https://t.co/8IwJlPujFn

— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) August 14, 2021

Who is Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar? The Taliban leader who is rumoured to become the next president of Afghanistanhttps://t.co/OGBV7qdbXP

— OpIndia.com (@OpIndia_com) August 15, 2021

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